The manual Corvette debate just refuses to die, and this time it got a little awkward. What started as excitement around a possible six-speed setup quickly turned into a firm shutdown from the people behind the car itself. While, fans have been asking for a proper stick shift version of the mid-engine Corvette ever since it launched, hoping someone at GM would eventually give in.Instead, the latest comments from the engineering team make it clear that is not happening anytime soon. And things got even more interesting when those same comments seemed to question whether a recently revealed manual setup even existed in the first place. The Manual Corvette Dream Hits Another Wall HotCars / ValnetDuring a recent event, Corvette engineers Tony Roma and Josh Holder addressed the ongoing speculation. The answer was about as direct as it gets. There are no plans for a manual version of the current Corvette, and according to them, there is nothing in the pipeline worth getting excited about either. Roma went a step further and called out the six-speed transaxle shown by Tremec, saying it is not real as a factory option. That comment caught a lot of people off guard, especially since the transmission had already been publicly revealed and discussed. For fans holding out hope, this felt like another door being shut, and pretty hard at that.At this point, it is clear that GM is fully committed to the dual clutch setup in the C8 Corvette. It is fast, efficient, and delivers serious performance. Still, for purists who want to row their own gears, it just does not hit the same. Tremec Keeps Things Quiet TremecThe story does not end there. Tremec, the company behind the six-speed transaxle in question, did not exactly back up the claim that their product is not real. When asked for a response from The Drive, they kept things polite but vague, saying they respect different perspectives but are not ready to comment.What we do know is that Tremec originally introduced the transmission as an aftermarket option. It was designed to work with existing Corvette components, which makes it sound very real and very possible for the right builder. That alone has kept hope alive for enthusiasts who are not afraid of a serious project.So, while you will not be able to order a factory manual Corvette anytime soon, the aftermarket might still deliver something pretty cool. It may take effort, money, and a bit of bravery, but the idea of a mid-engine Corvette with a proper stick shift is not completely dead just